NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tish on Tuesday opposed the “broken criminal justice system” in the memorial masses to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the shooting death of hero police officer Jonathan Diller.
The family, friends and colleagues of the tragic 31-year-old officer crammed into St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre on Long Island, heard the gloomy remarks that Diller's widow, Stephanie and Tish, had been conveyed.
“The breakdown of the criminal justice system has failed him,” Comish said of Diller. [Diller’s son] Ryan…and failed every New Yorker who values public safety.
“That's why we fight every day to fix the broken things, not just for the men and women in this department, but for the people of New York City,” she said. “We often talk about it in abstract terms… but this is true. It's devastating to continue the current path of New York State, [has] Fatal consequences.
“We owe it to his family and all the policemen to wear their uniforms, correct those mistakes, and protect the brave people who do this incredibly dangerous job.”
The dealer was walking to the passenger side of the grey Kia soul illegally parked outside the cell phone store as Guy Rivera rattled three rounds from inside the car, allegedly shattering the silence of a quiet street on the far rockaway that day. Officers said they believe Rivera and the cohort are planning to steal the store.
A shared footage of a horrifying incident Instagram account @NY_SCOOPDiller appeared to drag herself into the back of the car as she collapsed on the pavement. His partner fired two shots of himself.
Diller's partner also tugs the man, who was later identified as Lindy Jones from the driver's seat, yelling at him to “get on the floor of F-ing” before handcuffing him.
The swarm of officers descended above the dealer as they moaned from the pain of the intestinal shot that hit just below his bulletproof chop.
Several officers carefully loaded the dealer into unmarked police vehicles. They rushed him to Jamaica Hospital, but he didn't make it.
Rivera is a former con man with a long rap sheet featuring 21 pre-arrests and has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and a pack of weapons.
“We have a real recidivism issue,” Mayor Eric Adams said. I said at a press conference Right after the murder. “These two individuals were arrested on gun charges in April 2023. Driver, he has over 20 advances. The other has the same amount of advances.”
Critics of the state's bail reform law argue that they are too generous and lead to a revolving door for criminals.
Rivera is scheduled to appear in court on April 3rd.
Stephanie Diller hugged the couple's wild young son, Ryan, in her lap during Monday service, and shed tears about her fallen husband.
“A year ago we lost Jonathan in the most tragic way we could imagine. It was hard to accept not only the fact that he died, but the way he died,” she said.
“He seemed to have been torn apart from this world and us. We were angry, heartbroken, confused, and we didn't know how to continue.
“But through Jonathan, we somehow find the power to move forward and work hard to celebrate his life in place of mourning, and this is what we want to do here today.
She recalled Diller was a brave and generous joke that weaved strength along with kindness.
Kazu Daughtry, deputy mayor of New York City's public safety division, remembered the same, including the mischievous trends of the Dealer.
“I'll talk about the funny things Jonathan said because Jonathan was such a funny, funny, funny officer,” Daughtry said.
“He made everyone laugh and lit up the room as he walked in,” he continued. “He was a prank…and we were all just sitting there and laughing, and that's how we deal with it.
“Then you lie at night at home, you think of this day, and sometimes tears fall in your eyes. But those are happy tears that show that we will never forget Jonathan.”
Stephanie also said she remembered her husband as a great dad and set a great example for Ryan despite only being with him for a year.
“I don't want him to just be a memory,” she said. “I want you to talk about him, remember him, I want my son to grow up knowing who his father is through the stories his father shared with him.”
But more than anything, she said, she remembers how much he loves her and how often he said it.
“When I miss him, I search on my phone for the phrase 'I love you'. And then there was a million old texts from him,” she said. “He never missed the opportunity to tell you whether it was a text or a coffee machine note.
“The years we spent together felt like a life of love that I would never forget,” the heartbroken widow said. “To my Jonathan: I love you forever. I miss you every day.
“I hope I'm proud and proud of you. I can't wait to see your smile again one day.”
